who can I ask about paint and body?

[maxima278]

I don't know which forum to use for this... I'm getting ready to start prepping my S14 for paint, so I was looking for advice on fixing door dings, whether or not to put the car in primer, etc. If you guys can't answer this stuff, can you point me toward the right forum?

[zippitta]

Best thing for dings and shist is either bondo or fiberglass. They will both work fine as longas the area is prepped and cleaned sufficiently. Primer; I'm not sure what the question was but I will assume that you were asking if you should primer it before painting. Yes...primer gives the paint something to adhere to and helps prevent corrosion. Just remember that primer has a certain amount of time(usually 8hrs) after applying that the paint must be applied. If not then you have to tack rag it to reactivate the primer. If it sits for more than 24hrs then you have to scuff sand and put another dust coat of primer on.

Paintiing a vehicle is very difficult and unless you have the money to experiment with you might want to leave that kind of thing to a shop.

[gumby]

true. i just replaced some dented panels on the beater and painted em. the finish looks like it came out of a spray can because it did.

shops use climate controlled booths and spray guns with a wide swath so the paint will flow evenly. if your gonna prime it yourself find a shop thatll work with you and ask them what primer is compatible with the paints they use.

unfortunately body work is always expensive even if you get a good rate.

[maxima278]

I have someone to spray it for me in a booth. I'm just trying to save a little money by doing the prep work myself. I just can't decide whether to prime the whole car or not (my father in law who owns the shop says not, but others say yes), and I'm just looking for a few pointers to help me not make my car look like crap.